Temperature gradient mulling



July 13, 1965 A. BRADsHAw ETAL 3,193,860

TEMPERATURE GRADIENT MULLING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 21, 1964 luv.

July 13, 1965 A. BRADsHAw ErAl.- 3,193,860

TEMPERATURE GRADIENT MULLING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 21, 1964 UnitedStates Patent O 3,193,869 TEP/EPERATURE GRADHENT lw/ULLENG ArthurBradshaw and Graham Si. Mansfield, Leicester,

Engiand, assignors to United Shoe Machinery orporation, Boston, Mass., acorporation of New .'iiersey Filed lian.. 2l, 1964-, Ser. No. 339,22 ACiaims priority, appiication (Great Britain, heh. 19, 3563, 6,548/63 9Ciairns. (Ci. 12-59.7)

This invention relates to apparatus for conditioning leather and, moreparticularly, to machines for tempering shoe uppers to distributemoisture through selected portions thereof.

A number of operations performed in normal shoe manufacturing processesrequire that certain portions of the shoe be conditioned to increase theworkability of the leather. For example, the flexibility andstretchabil-ity of upper leather must be increased by conditioning toprepare it for the lasting operations. This is usually in addition tothe normal mulling of the uppers prior to their assembly. The upper, orselect portions, must be wetted to enhance that workability resultingfrom the initial mull. The need for such conditioning is even greaterwhere no prior mulling has taken place. As noted above, one operationwhere such conditioning or tempering of shoe uppers is necessary is inthe lasting of the shoe. The workability of the upper must be increasedto facilitate the lasting operations which involve the stretching,flexing and compressing of the leather fibrils. Further, the grain areamust be conditioned to avoid its cracking.

Heretofore, the normal procedure for conditioning an upper has been toplace it in a container of Water for extended intervals or in variouslydesigned steam chambers. These methods were time consuming andrelatively ineffectual. A recent revelation in the art of distributingmoisture throughout leather has led the way to development of the novelapparatus disclosed hereinafter. The technical phenomenon whichfacilitates the implementation of the subject invention is that moistureapplied to one surface of a permeable article of manufacture can berapidly and uniformly distributed within the article by theestablishment of an appropriate temperature gradient thereacross. Therapidity with which the moisture is dispersed is dependent upon thetemperature differential constituting the gradient, the inherentcharacter of the article, and the condition thereof prior to theoperation. The moisture on the high temperature side of the articlewould have a higher vapor pressure than that on the loW temperature sideand, thus, a pressure gradient is produced as a result of thetemperature gradient. This pressure differential or gradient drives themoisture into and through the article. Thus, the establishment of hotand cold reservoirs on opposite sides of a piece of leather or similararticle of manufacture can be utilized to distribute water or otherconditioning solutions applied to the surface subjected to the hotreservoir. The distribution of moisture is additionally effected by awicking action or capillary action initially occurring at the eX- posedsurface.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide aconditioning machine in which leather is tempered.

. A further object of this invention is to provide a machine toaccomplish the aforementioned object in a short interval of time.

A correlative object of the two above stated objects is to attain saidobjectives while accomplishing complete and improved tempering of theleather.

To this end and in accordance with a feature of the present invention,there is provided a machine for conditioning leather comprising a firstcontact means having means for dispersing a conditioning solution to anarticle to be conditioned, means for heating said rst Contact means, anda second contact means having a lower operative temperature than saidrst contact means.

The above and other features of the invention including various noveldetails of construction and combinations of parts will now be moreparticularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings andpointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particularmachine embodying the invention is shown by Way of illustration only andnot as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features ofthis invention may be employed in varied and numerous embodimentsWithout departing from the scope of the invention.

in the rawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus illustrating the subjectinvention, certain portions thereof being shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus illustrated in PEG. l; and

HG. 3 is a sectional view showing the shoe, upper pad portion of themachine of FIG. 1.

As illustrated in FlGS. l and 2, the operative instrumentalities of themachine, as hereinafter described, are housed in a chamber formed bysheet metal aflixed to a framework liti. Accessibility to the operativeinstrumentalities is provided through an arcuate opening in the front ofthe machine, said opening not being shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as the sheetmetal is removed to disclose the operative instrumentalities.

The instrumentalities utilized to effectuate the conditioning ortempering of a shoe upper essentially comprise moistening and heatingcontact means and cooperative contact means employed as a lowtemperature reservoir, said Contact means being generally indicated bythe reference characters 12 and 14, respectively in FIG. 2. The contactmeans 12 comprises `a lower arcuate plate 16 secured to a bracket 13which is integral with the framework it). The plate 16 has securedthereto an arcuate plate Zt) extending in spaced concentricity therewithover the upper arc thereof and along its length thereby dening anannular cavity 22. A plurality of arcuate heating elements 2li aremounted in the annular cavity 22 in spaced alinement along the lengththereof. The heating elements are controlled by a thermostat 26 locatedon a control panel 28 of the machine. As best delineated in FG. 2, thecontact means 12 also comprises a curved resilient plate 30 locatedimmediately above the plate 20 and generally concentric therewith. Theplate 30 is mounted on the bracket 18 for yielding movement relative tothe plate 20 by a plurality of wires 32 and 34 secured to the corners ofthe plate 30 and extending and a ixed to outwardly projecting members 36mounted on the bracket i8; only the forward-most wires 32, 34 beingshown in PEG. 2. in the normal inoperative position of the machine, theplate 30 is displaced from the plate 20. A pad 3e of porous material islocated on the upper surface of the plate 3i).

The pad 3S functions to transmit conditioning solution to a shoe upperand preferably comprises a lower layer 4t) (FIG. 3) of knitted glass, anintermediate layer 41 of polyurethane foam, and an upper layer 42 ofcotton cloth. The conditioning solution is introduced to the pad 38through an ellipsoidal pipe 43 interposed between the layers 42 and 4lhaving a plurality of perforations 44 in the upper surface thereofthrough which the solution passes, said pipe 43 extending from the rearof the pad 3S. The pipe i3 is maintained in position by packing 39. inthe operation of the machine, a conditioning solution such as water issupplied through the pipe 43 to the upperlayer 42.V of the pad 38 andpasses therethrough 'Y to 'be dispersed through an article tol beconditioned.

The conditioning solution is supplied to the pipe 43A from a containerV45 (FIG. l) supported by the framework 10. A pipe 46 leads from ailter'4'7 in the container/35 to a reciprocating pump 48. A one-wayvalve 49 is provided Yin the pipe 46 to allow the conditioning solutionto pass fromV the container l to the pump but not in the reversedirection. Piping 50 joins the pump 4S to the pipe 43. A one-way valve51 is provided in the piping t) to permit llow from the pump 48 tothepipe 43.V The pump 48 is operated by a drive cylinder 52 having a piston(notrshown) operatively linked to said pump.

' yoke till. Thestuds 84, d4' engage the plate 53 whereby the downward'movement of the piston rod '78 is imparted to the member 14.

The contact member14 is maintained in alined position relativeV to thecontact member 12, removed from the operative position, and normallymaintained in the upper position Vby the cooperativeV action of rods96), 90,

l a cross-piece 92, and rods 94, 94. The rods 99,91) are I Y 14 relativeto the member. 12 isf prevented. The cross- The operation of the pistonin the cylinder 52 is'controlled4 by means hereinafter to be describedin theV def scriptionof the functioning of the Contact means 14.

The contact means 14 is located above the contact movement eifected bymeans-to be hereinafter described. A sV illustrated in FIG. 2, thecontact'means 14 comprises an arcuate resilientk plate 58 generallyconcentric with the ln'the operation of the operativeinstrumentalitiesde-Vv scribed above, a portion ol an upper S (FlG. l) to oe tempered isplaced on top of the porous pad 38u/ith its -ilesh side in Vcontact withthe pad 3%, tempering solution Vis supplied to the pad 33, the heatingelements Z4 are activated, and the Contact means 14 is lowered'into presl sure exerting Contact with the upper. The pressure exerted bythecontact means 14 forces thev resilient plate into contact with the plateZtl thereby facilitating the transfer ofheat from the heating elements24 through the plate Sil to the pad 35. The pad 3S thus supplies theconditioning solution and acts vas a high temperature reservoirwhiletheV layer oil constitutes a low temperature reservoir therebyestablishing a temperature gradient to distribute theconditioning'solution through the exposed portion of the upper.V Thedistribution ot conditioningk soluymeans 12 foremovement theretoward andtherefrom, said slidable.

mounted for sliding movement in the plate 72 on opposite sides of thecylinder 70,'the axis of said rods preferably lying ina planecoincidentV with that of the axis of the 'cylinder whereby rotativemovement of the member piece 92 is secured to the lower end portions ofthe rods 9i), El@ below the plate 72 and has a centrally locatedaperture thereinjthrough which the piston rod 73 is freely The rods 94;94, opposite ends of which are secured to the plate 72 and platev 58establish a rigid Y linkage-between the cross-piece92 and the Contactmem- .er solenoid operatedV valve.

tion tothe upper S is additionally Veffected by'a wicking actionresulting from Contact of the upper S withthe porous pad 38. j i Y Y fVAs stated above, the contact means 14 is movable toward and away fromthe contact means 12 between an upper inoperative position (FIG. 2) anda lower operative position (FIG. l). A iluid operated system'is employedto effectuate the movement of the contact means 14 and comprises a drivecylinder 7@ having a piston (not shown) slidableV therein, said cylinder70V being mounted on a plate 72 secured to the framework lll andsupported by brackets 74 by securing means 76. A piston rod 73bcr`14,.the rods 94,34 being vdisposed on opposite sides of the pistonrod 73 ina plane common to the axis of the piston rod 7S and normal totheplane invwhich the axis of the rods 99, 99, lie. When the piston rod78 is moved upwardly from the operative position, the collar 83 engagesthe crossV piece 92 whereby the upward movementV Vof, the piston rod 7Sis translated'to the member 14 through the rods 94, 94 thereby to removethe member 14 to the upper, inoperative position.

Y Pressure iluid is supplied tothe upper end of the cylin- -der 7vthrough the piping 160. Any convenient means (not illustrated) may beemployed to establish iluid pressure in the' piping 160, and,consequently, the upper chamber of the cylinder 7). In the preferredembodiment of the subjecty invention, Va rst solenoid operated valve Y(not shown) is utilized to control the introduction of pressure uid tothe cylinder 7l). A llow control valve 102 is positioned 'in' the line100. Piping 104 connects the lower chamber of the cylinder '70 to asecond solenoid VVoperated valve (notvshown) and a pressure supplyingsource. A ow control valve 106 is positioned in the line 194. A pipe 103leads from the upper chamber of the cylinder 52 tothe second solenoidoperated valve and a pipe 11G from the lower chamber thereof` to thevfirst The ,introduction and exhaust of pressure iluid isthuscoordinated in the cylinders 70 and 52. Thus, when pressure liuid issupplied to the lower chamber of 'the' `cylinder 70 to retract thecontact means 14, pressure fluid is admitted to the upper chamber of thecylinder 52, the .piston in the cylinder 52 is moved downwardly, andconditioning solution is drawn into the pump 4S from the container 45.Converselyfwhen pressure luid is -supplied to the upper chamber of theis affixed at oppositeV ends thereof to the piston (not Y shown) withinthe cylinder 70 and a Vyoke 80. The yoke 80 comprises Van essentiallyU-shaped member 82 secured at its central portion to the piston vrod 78and extending circurnferentially about the arcuate plate 58.'

Studs 84, 84 (FIG. 2) arecentrally affixed to the opposite terminalportions of the member S2 and extend per- Y pendicularly theretotransversely of and in contact with 73 and rests on top of. the U-shapedmember 8?..V TheV contact member 14 is moved into yielding Contact withan upper S located on thepad 38 when the piston rod 78 is moveddownwardly, the movement of the piston rodA 78 being translated throughthe yoke 80 which is secured to the piston rod 78 by the studs 34, 34mounted on the' cylinder 70 to'progress the contact ymeans 14 intooperative position, pressure fluid Yis admitted to the lower chamberofthe cylinder 52, the piston' in the cylinder 52 is moved upwardly, andconditioning solutionl is delivered from the pump 48 to the pipe 43. Thesolenoid operated valves are connected to an adjustable time switch(not, shown) which is controlled by a push button 112. Power foroperation of the above is controlled by the switch 114. z Intheoperation of the fluid pressure system delineated above, admission ofpressure fluid tothe upper portion of the cylinder 70 causes the pistonrod 78 and, therefore,

the yokeStlto move toward the contact means 12. The yokeV Stlprogressesthe contact means 14 downwardly into contact with a portion of an upperS located on the pad 33. When contact has been Yestablished between tovpress against the resilient plate'SS'thereby to urge the layer 69'firmly against the Vupper Sand said upper S against the, porous material42. The pressure exerted by Ythe contact means 14 also results in theplate 30 contacting the plate 20, as described above. Thus, both thecontact means 14 and 12 are brought into complete surface engagementwith the upper S.

Upon completion of the conditioning operation, pressure fluid isintroduced to the lower chamber of the cylinder '70 and the yoke 80 ismoved upwardly to permit the contact means 14 to be removed from contactwith the upper S. The collar 88 then engages the cross-piece 92 therebyto retract the contact member 14.

A shoe to be conditioned is supported in position with its toe portionbeneath the arcuate plate 16 by a platform plate 120 mounted on thebracket 18 and an adjustable support, generally indicated by thereference character 122. The support 122 maintains the heel of the shoein position and comprisesl a horizontal rod 124 (FIG. 2) which extendsacross the front of the opening which provides access to the operativeinstrumentalities of the machine, said rod 124 being rotatively mountedin brackets 126, 126 secured to the framework 10, a sleeve 128 extendingbetween the brackets 126, 126 concentric with the rod 124, and brackets130, 130 freely mounted on opposite end portions of the rod 124outwardly of the brackets 126, 126 in abutting relation therewith. Therod 124 is retained in position by a head portion 132 and an adjustablehandle member 134 mounted on opposite end portions thereof. The handlemember 134 is threaded on the rod for rotation whereby it can beemployed to lock the brackets 136, 130 against the brackets 126, 126 ina desired angular position. The heel of a shoe to be conditioned restsupon a U-shaped tubular member 136 opposite sides of which are slidinglyaccommodated in bores in the brackets 130, 130. The extended position ofthe member 136 can be determined by adjustment of the location thereofin the brackets 130, 130.V The member 136 is secured in the desiredposition in the brackets 130, 130 by wing screws 13S, 138. Thus, theangular position of the member 136 may be adjusted by loosening thehandle member 134 and rotating the brackets 139, 130 and the extendedposition adjusted by loosening the wing screws 138, 138 and sliding themember 136 in the bores of the brackets 130, 130.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a heater 142 (FlG.l) is provided to heat the waist of an upper to activate thermoplasticadhesive previously applied thereto. The heater 142 is secured to thebracket 18 and extends horizontally therefrom under the support 122. Theheater 142 comprises a frame 144 having a plurality of openings 146 inits upper surface and a heating element 148. The heating element 148 iscontrolled by an adjusting knob 150.

A cycle of operation of the above described machine is initiated afterrst activating the heating elements 24 and 138, the contact means 14being in the upper inoperative position and the solenoid operated valvesde-energized. A last L mounting a partially fabricated shoe is placed inposition by the operator with the forepart of the upper S on the contactmeans 12. The solenoid operated valves (not shown) are then energized bydepression of the button 112 thereby causing pressure fluid to beintroduced to the upper chamber of the cylinder 70 and the lower chamberof the cylinder 52 through the iirst solenoid operated valve, oppositechambers of the cylinders 52 and 70 being vented to the atmospherethrough the second solenoid operated valve. The contact means 14 is thusmoved into operative position and conditioning solution is delivered tothe pipe 43. After a pre-determined time interval registered on thetimer (not shown), the solenoid operated valves are de-energized andpressure fluid admitted to the lower chamber of the cylinder 70 andupper chamber of the cylinder 52 through the second solenoid valve,opposite chambers of said cylinders 70 and 52 being vented to theatmosphere through the first solenoid operated valve. Thus, the contactmeans is returned to its inoperative position and conditioning solutiondrawn into the pump 48 in preparation for a subsequent usage.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine for conditioning leather comprising a first contact meansengageable with an article to be conditioned, said first contact meanshaving means for dispersing a conditioning solution to a surface of anarticle to be conditioned, means for heating said first contact means, asecond contact means engageable with an opposite surface of the articleand having a lower operative temperature than said first contact means,and means facilitating the relative positioning `of said contact meanswhereby a temperature gradient is established across an article to beconditioned during the conditioning portion of the operative cycle ofthe machine.

2. A machine for conditioning leather comprising a first contact meansengageable with an article to be conditioned, said first contact meanscomprising means for dispersing a conditioning solution to one surfaceof an article to be conditioned and means mounting said dispersing meansfor transmitting heat thereto during the conditioning portion of theoperative cycle ofthe machine, means for heating said mounting means,and a second contact means engageable with an opposite surface of thearticle and having .a lower operative temperature than said firstcontact means.

3. A machine for conditioning leather comprising heating means andcontact means having means for dispersing a conditioning solution to asurface of an article to be conditioned, heat transfer means mountingsaid heating means, and means mounting said dispersing means movableinto contact with said heat transfer means whereby heat is transferredto said dispersing means during the conditioning portion of theoperative cycle of the machine.

4. A machine for conditioning leather comprising heating means, a irstcontact means having means for contacting an article to be conditionedand dispersing conditioning 'solution thereto, heat transfer meansmounting said heating means, and means mounting said dispersing meansmovable into contact with said heat transfer means whereby heat istransferred to said dispersing means during the conditioning portion ofthe operative cycle of the machine, means for supplying conditioningsolution to said dispersing means, and a second contact means having alower operative temperature than said first contact means, said secondcontact means being positioned to contact a surface of an article to beconditioned other than that contacted by said rst contact means.

5. A machine for conditioning leather comprising a first contact means,said first contact means comprising means for dispersing a conditioningsolution to a surface of an article to be conditioned and means mountingsaid dispersing means for transmitting heat thereto during theconditioning portion of the operative cycle of the machine, means forheating said mounting means, and a second contact means having a loweroperative temperature than said first contact means, said second contactmeans being movable between an inoperative position displaced from saidfirst contact means and an operative, article engaging position whereinsaid first and second contact means are in opposed contact with anarticle to be conditioned.

6. A machine for conditioning leather comprising heating means, a firstcontact means having means for contacting an article to be conditionedand dispersing conditioning solution thereto, heat transfer meansmounting said heating means, and means mounting said dispersing meansmovable into contact with said heat transfer means whereby heat istransferred to said dispersing means during the conditioning portion ofthe operative cycle of the machine, means for supplying conditioninglsolution to said dispersing means, and a second contact means having alower operative temperature than said first contact means, said secondcontact means being movable between an operative position displaced fromsaid rst Y7 Y e contact means and an operative positionin contact withasurface of an article Y to beA Conditioned other than that Ycontacted'by said iirst contact means.'

'7.,A machine vfor conditioning leather comprising a first contactmeans; said rst contact means comprising means for dispersing aconditioning solutionV to an article to be conditioned and meansmounting Vsaid dispersing means for transmitting heat thereto during theconditioning portion of the operative cycle of the machine, means forheating said mounting means, and a second contactV means having a loweroperative temperature-than 'said iirst contact means comprising aresilient contact member and mean-s mounting said resilient contactmember for movement between an inoperative position displaced from saidfirst contact means and an operative position in pressurrface of anarticle toghe conditioned other than that contacted by said firstcontact means wherebysaid means mounting. saidtrdispersingV meansisurged into contact with said heattransfer means.

9,. A rnachinerfor conditioning VVleather comprising heating means, Vafirst contact'mea'nsV having means for contacting an ,articletobelco'n-ditioned and dispersing vconditioning soiutiontthereto,heattra'nsfer means mounting said heating means, land means mountingsaid dispersing means movable into `contact with said heat transferlmeans whereby heat is transferred'to said dispersing meansduring theconditioning portion of the operative cycle of the machine, means forsupplying conditioning solution to said vdrspersing means, and a secondcontact means having sure exerting contact with a surface of an articleto be conditioned other than that contacted by said r'st contact meanswhereby said resilient member is urged Vinto Y contact with the saidsurface. Y v

8. A machine for conditioning leather comprising heat'- tacting anarticle to be conditioned and dispersing conditioning solution thereto,heat transfer means mounting said heating means, and means mounting saiddispersing means movableV into contact with said heat transfer meanswhereby heat is transferred to Vsaid dispersing means during theconditioning portion of vthe operative cycle of the machine,means forsupplying conditioning 4solution to said, dispersing means, and a secondcontact'meanshaving av lower operative temperature than said rst contactmeans, said second contact means being movable between an inoperativeposition displaced frorn said contact means and an operative positioninrpressure exerting contact with a 20 ingrmeans, a first contact meanshaving means for con- Y al vlower operative temperature than Vsaid iirstVcontact means comprising a resilient Contact member and means Ymounting said resilient contact member for movement between aninoperative position displaced from said iirst contact means and anoperative position in pressure exerting contact with a surface of anarticle to be conditioned Vother than thatk contacted by said iirstcontact means y1,923,167 8/33 Schoenky 12-597 "37,094,726 Y 6/63Kamborian l2-59.7 X

Y JORDANFRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

1. A MACHINE FOR CONDITIONING LEATHER COMPRISING A FIRST CONTACT MEANSENGAGEABLE WITH AN ARTICLE TO BE CONDITIONED, SAID FIRST CONTACT MEANSHAVING MEANS FOR DISPERSING A CONDITIONING SOLUTION TO A SURFACE OF ANARTICLE TO BE CONDITIONED, MEANS FOR HEATING SAID FIRST CONTACT MEANS, ASECOND CONTACT MEANS ENGAGEABLE WIT H AN OPPOSITE SURFACE OF THE ARTICLEAND HAVING A LOWER OPERATIVE TEMPERATURE THAN SAID FIRST CONTACT MEANS,AND MEANS FACILITATING THE RELATIVE POSITIONING OF SAID CONTACT MEANSWHEREBY A TEMPERATURE GRADIENT IS ESTABLISHED ACROSS AN ARTICLE TO BECONDITIONED DURING THE CONDITIONING PORTION OF THE OPERATIVE CYCLE OFTHE MACHINE.